Element One Appoints Hydrogen Technology Veteran as CTO to Advance Natural Hydrogen and Critical Minerals Programs
Element One Hydrogen & Critical Minerals Corp. (CSE: EONE) has appointed David Frank as advisory Chief Technology Officer and Jeff Campbell to its board of directors as the company shifts its focus toward implementing technical programs, developing partnerships and securing financing for its natural hydrogen and critical minerals portfolio.
The October 13 announcement marks a leadership transition intended to strengthen Element One's ability to move from early-stage technical concepts into defined exploration, engineering and process-development activities.
Under the restructuring, CEO Brad Kitchen will also assume the position of Board Chair. Existing directors Kyler Hardy and Tim Johnson will step down from the board but remain available to provide consulting support on a case-by-case basis.
The most significant technical appointment is David Frank, who brings approximately 30 years of experience in industrial electrochemistry, hydrogen production, fuel cells and electrolyzer systems.
Frank previously held senior technical and operational positions at Hydrogenics, the Canadian hydrogen technology company acquired by Cummins in 2019. His career also includes product-development experience at Twelve and leadership positions at Cummins.
His background is particularly relevant to Element One's strategy of connecting geological hydrogen opportunities with practical engineering and processing technologies.
As advisory CTO, Frank will support the development and refinement of injection and extraction approaches for hard-rock natural hydrogen exploration, working alongside the company's existing technical partners.
This work is intended to help translate Element One's hydrogen concepts into more clearly defined technical programs.
The distinction between natural hydrogen exploration and engineered hydrogen production is important to the company's approach.
Natural hydrogen exploration typically focuses on identifying hydrogen generated by geological processes and evaluating whether it can accumulate and be recovered from subsurface formations.
Injection-based approaches may also involve engineered interactions with suitable rocks, depending on the geological conditions and the process being developed.
Element One's announcement does not specify the proposed injection fluids, operating conditions, field locations or recovery methods. These aspects remain part of the technical work to be developed with its partners.
Frank will also contribute to the company's critical minerals strategy, particularly the process-development pathway for recovering magnesium and other potential mineral products from material associated with the Twin Sisters project in Washington State.
Twin Sisters forms part of Element One's broader effort to investigate whether magnesium-rich geological materials can support multiple industrial applications.
The company has been evaluating mineral recovery opportunities alongside its interest in hydrogen-related geological processes, creating potential links between critical mineral production and hydrogen technology.
Frank's experience in industrial electrochemistry and commercial-scale hydrogen systems could help Element One assess how proposed recovery processes might be translated into practical operating configurations.
His appointment is structured as a part-time advisory role, with approximately 25% of his professional time allocated to Element One.
The company's second major appointment addresses the financing side of its development strategy.
Jeff Campbell joins the board with approximately 35 years of investment banking and capital markets experience, including service as an Executive Director at CIBC Wood Gundy in Toronto and Vancouver.
Campbell will help Element One establish investment banking relationships and evaluate financing and transaction structures to support the planned expansion of its operations.
His appointment comes as the company seeks to advance multiple technical opportunities across natural hydrogen exploration and critical minerals recovery.
For early-stage resource and technology companies, the ability to structure financing around specific project milestones can be important as work progresses from geological assessment toward field testing and process development.
Element One's leadership changes therefore bring together two complementary areas of expertise: industrial technology implementation and capital markets execution.
The company is also maintaining continuity in its field exploration activities.
Outgoing director Tim Johnson is currently leading a reconnaissance trip in the interior of British Columbia with Mantle8, Element One's natural hydrogen exploration technology partner in Western Canada.
The fieldwork is assessing prospective areas for natural hydrogen exploration and forms part of the companies' broader technical collaboration.
The reconnaissance program represents an early-stage evaluation effort rather than a drilling campaign or confirmed hydrogen discovery.
Its purpose is to assess prospective geological settings and support decisions about where more detailed exploration work may be warranted.
Element One's collaboration with Mantle8 is particularly relevant to its Western Canadian strategy, where the company is seeking to identify geological opportunities that could support future natural hydrogen exploration programs.
The company also maintains a wider portfolio of interests across British Columbia, Washington State and Alaska, supported by partnerships with research institutions and industry participants.
These include collaborations involving Columbia University and work connected to magnesium and other critical mineral recovery technologies.
The October leadership changes are intended to provide the organizational capacity to advance these activities in a more coordinated manner.
Element One also announced changes to its corporate reporting and financing arrangements.
The company will move to semi-annual financial reporting, beginning with its annual financial statements for the period ended December 31, 2026, under Coordinated Blanket Order 51-933.
As a result, it will no longer file first- and third-quarter financial statements and management's discussion and analysis.
The company also reported closing the first tranche of a LIFE unit offering involving 2.16 million units priced at C$0.075 per unit.
Full press release is attached below:
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 13, 2026) - Element One Hydrogen & Critical Minerals Corp. (CSE: EONE) ("Element One" or the "Company") is advancing a leadership transition to support its next stage of growth: translating its natural hydrogen and critical minerals opportunities into practical programs, partnerships and operating plans.
The Company is pleased to announce the appointment of David Frank as advisory Chief Technology Officer and Jeff Campbell as director. As part of this transition, Kyler Hardy and Tim Johnson will step down from the Board and continue in a consulting role to Element One on a case-by-case basis. Brad Kitchen will assume the role of Chair, in addition to his position as Chief Executive Officer.
"Element One has spent the past year assembling a distinctive platform in natural hydrogen and critical minerals," said Brad Kitchen, Chief Executive Officer of Element One. "Our focus now is execution. David brings deep experience taking complex hydrogen technologies from development into industrial application, while Jeff brings capital markets experience and relationships that can help us structure and finance the next stage of the Company's growth."
Technical leadership focused on implementation
Mr. Frank brings approximately 30 years of leadership experience in industrial electrochemistry, hydrogen production, fuel cells and electrolyzer systems. He spent many years at Hydrogenics, where he held senior technical and operating roles. Cummins completed its acquisition of Hydrogenics in 2019. Mr. Frank's career also includes productization experience at Twelve and leadership roles at Cummins.
At Element One, Mr. Frank will help translate the Company's technical concepts into defined work programs. This will include supporting the development and refinement of injection and extraction approaches for hard-rock natural hydrogen exploration, in coordination with the Company's technical partners, and helping refine the process-development pathway for recovering magnesium and other potential critical mineral products from material associated with the Twin Sisters project in Washington State. David Frank will devote approximately 25% of his professional time to Element One as Chief Technology Officer.
Capital markets experience to support growth
Mr. Campbell is a retired investment banker with 35 years of investment banking and capital market experience as an Executive Director at CIBC Wood Gundy in Toronto and Vancouver. He will support the Company's efforts to build investment banking relationships and assess financing and transaction structures to support the planned expansion of Element One's operations.
Continuity in the field
Mr. Johnson is currently leading a reconnaissance trip in the interior of British Columbia with Mantle8, a global leader in natural hydrogen exploration technology and Element One's partner in Western Canada. The trip is assessing prospective areas for natural hydrogen exploration and supports the Company's effort to advance its Western Canadian opportunity through field evaluation and technical collaboration.
"Kyler and Tim have contributed significantly to Element One, and we appreciate their continued willingness to consult to the Company," said Mr. Kitchen. "This transition brings new capabilities to the Board and management while retaining important institutional knowledge and active project support."
Other Corporate News
The Company announces that pursuant to Coordinated Blanket Order 51 - 933 Exemptions to Permit Semi-Annual Reporting for Certain Venture Issuers, Element One is now going to report on a semi-annual basis beginning with its annual financials for the period ended December 31, 2026. The Company will no longer file the Q1 and Q3 quarterly Financials and MD&A.
Element One also closed the first tranche of 2.160 million of a $0.075 LIFE Unit Offering that included one Common share and one Warrant priced at $0.20 that can be exercised after 61 days from close for a period of 3 years. The Company paid finders' fee commissions of $8,100 cash and 108,000 Broker Warrants priced at $0.075 for a period of one year.
About Element One Hydrogen & Critical Minerals Corp.
Element One Hydrogen & Critical Minerals Corp. (CSE: EONE), through a growing portfolio of strategic resource assets, proprietary technologies and industry partnerships, is advancing the exploration, development and commercialization of natural hydrogen, magnesium and other critical minerals. Element One's projects span British Columbia, Washington State and Alaska and are supported by collaborations with world-class research institutions, including Columbia University, and strategic partnerships with industry, Indigenous communities and government. By combining resource development with innovative processing technologies, Element One is positioned to help strengthen North America's energy security, industrial resilience and critical mineral supply chains.
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On behalf of the Board of Directors
Brad Kitchen
President and Chief Executive Officer
Element One Hydrogen & Critical Minerals Corp.
Email: bkitchen@e1-h2.com
Telephone: 604.506.7555
Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the Company's plans for technical work on natural hydrogen and potential critical mineral recovery, the development and refinement of injection and extraction approaches, the Company's capital markets and financing plans, and future exploration activities with Mantle8. Forward-looking information is based on assumptions considered reasonable by management as of the date of this release and is subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including technical results, project execution, access to financing, partner performance, permitting and approvals, market conditions and other risks described in the Company's public disclosure documents. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such information except as required by applicable law.
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
